Heavy fighting claims 66 lives in Lanka

At least 64 Tamil Tiger rebels and two Sri Lankan soldiers have been killed in the latest battles in the island's north, according to the defence ministry yesterday.
It said the two days of fighting on Tuesday and Wednesday occurred in the Vavuniya, Mannar and Weli Oya areas, from where government forces are trying to push into the guerrillas' northern mini-state.
There was no immediate comment from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The latest casualties raise to 3,471 the number of LTTE cadres the defence ministry says have been killed since the start of the year. It has admitted losing 261 soldiers in the same period.
Information from the front line cannot be independently verified since Colombo prevents media and rights groups from visiting the embattled areas.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's military barred foreign journalists Thursday from covering weekend elections in the east that are seen as Awami League Presidium member Suranjit Sengupta said rice production and people's purchasing capacity will have to be increased to control the prices of essentials.
"The country has to be self-sufficient in producing rice and other essentials. And for this, investment and subsidy in agriculture will have to be increased," Suranjit said, adding, "All of these can be possible when an elected democratic government comes to power after the next general election."
BNP leader and former state minister MA Mannan said the government should pay more attention to the agriculture sector, especially for increasing subsidy and investment.
Workers Party polit bureau member Hyder Akbar Khan Rono said rationing system should be immediately introduced for general people. "A long-term and effective planning is needed for increasing rice production and ensuring food security," he said.
Shishir Shil, executive director of People Empower Trust and member of the steering committee of People's Forum on MDG, said an inter-ministry task force for agriculture, food, fisheries, commerce, local government, land, law and science and technology will have to be formed to keep the price hike within people's buying capacity.
Ataur Rahman Miton of Hunger Free World, Shirin Akhter of Karmajibi Nari, political leaders Shahiduzzaman, Dr Abdur Razzaque, Abdus Shahid and SK Shahidul Islam, among others, addressed the dialogue presided over by Campe Director-in-charge Azizul Haq.